HE didn’t get a look-in Down Under last June, but Lloyd Williams is determined to return to the forefront of the race for the Wales No.

HE didn’t get a look-in Down Under last June, but Lloyd Williams is determined to return to the forefront of the race for the Wales No. 9 jersey.

Williams, son of former international Brynmor, travelled 12,000 miles earlier this summer to play 20 minutes on the wing as a replacement in the midweek clash with Super 15 outfit Brumbies in Canberra.

The 22-year-old, having been deputy to Mike Phillips during the 2012 Six Nations, appears to have been leapfrogged by Ospreys rookie Rhys Webb in the Test pecking order, but with Webb having been left out of the Ospreys team for tonight’s huge west Wales derby with the Scarlets in Llanelli following a disappointing display during the RaboDirect Pro12 holders home defeat to Glasgow a week ago, there’s all to play for.

Rob Howley, who sidelined Williams in Australia, will be in charge of Wales for the opening two matches in November, against Argentina and Samoa, with head honcho Warren Gatland taking over the reins for the clashes with world champions New Zealand and Australia.

And Williams wants to send him a message with some strong performances for his region, starting against Treviso at the Arms Park tomorrow night.

“It’s a must-win game for us,” declared Williams.

“We haven’t won at the Arms Park this season and we’re all on edge for Saturday. We really want to get a result.

“We have set our targets high this year and I think we have got a good squad.

“The boys are buying into what Phil Davies (director of rugby) is trying to do.

“Phil is great. This season there’s a lot more organisation and a lot of things have been put into place which are really good for the club.

“We know, as players, if we play well for our regions, there’s a better chance you will play for your country.”

The scrum-half battle behind Phillips is heating up with Scarlets pair Tavis Knoyle and Gareth Davies putting their cases forward, while Williams is being pushed by Pontypridd product and former Wales Under-20 international Lewis Jones at the Blues.

“There are a lot of good youngsters around at the moment and it’s great for all of us because competition for places breeds excellence,” said Williams, who has scored two tries and only been on the losing side just twice in eight appearances for Wales.

“Everyone is pushing each other and each week you try to play better.”

The 22-year-old was really taken aback by the number of people who turned up at Penygraig in the Rhondda Valley to watch the Blues train earlier this week.

“It brought out the crowd and helps gets the Blues message across.” he said.

“It’s good to go to different places to train. There must have been hundreds and hundreds of children watching.

“You don’t get to train much in front of audiences, but I think it adds an edge and brings the best out of you. I think we all enjoyed it.”

Blues bigwigs have billed the Pro12 clash with Treviso as regional clubs day. Every club in a region, which covers Cardiff, Rhondda, Cynon and Taff Valleys, the Vale of Glamorgan and south Powys, can claim up to 25 complimentary tickets, with the Blues expecting over 30 clubs to attend.

Lock forward Lou Reed reckons they have a future in the valleys despite Pontypridd putting the block on them staging two Anglo-Welsh LV Cup matches at Sardis Road this campaign.

The Rhondda Schools product and Wales cap spoke out following the success of the experiment staged at Penygraig.

“We didn’t expect that many people to turn up,” said the Cwmparc, Treorchy, resident.

Some 33 schools from the valleys attended and it culminated with “Cardiff Blues” being chanted out by a majority of the excited children.

It was music to the ears of Blues officials, who have put a greater emphasis on winning over hearts and minds outside the Welsh capital.

And Reed hopes it’s the start of a new relationship that sees the Blues making regular forays into the valleys for training sessions and perhaps playing some matches outside of Cardiff.

“Hopefully, we will do a lot more to do with the valleys and the rest of the region,” he said.

“There has been a lot of changes, a lot of thing have happened and a lot of new people have come in at the Blues.”

The younger generation, most under-16s, can’t remember pre-regional rugby – it started nine years ago – and Reed reckons there’s enough valleys players at the Blues for people in the most smallest of villages to have an empathy.

“Hopefully a lot of people from the valleys have a link with us, get on a train, and come and support us and the Blues,” said the 25-year-old.

Already he’s had a positive response, saying: “I’m walking round my village and a lot of people are talking about coming to see me rather than go to Llanelli or any other place in Wales.

“Hopefully, seeing me and other valleys boys like Bradley Davies and Macauley Cook playing for the Blues will inspire them.”

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